Jar-fastening



(No Model.) I

W. H. CLARKE.

- JAR FASTENING. No. 376,369. Patented Jan. 10, 1888.

N. PETERS Phulouflngrapimr. Wflhinglon. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. CLARKE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

JAR-FASTEN I NG.

$PECII'ICA'I'ION forming part of Letters Patent No. 376,369, dated January 10, 1888.

Application filed Eeptembcr 15, 1887. Serial No. 249,768.

(No model.

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM HrCLARKE,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fastenings for the Covers of Fruit-Jars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a simple and inexpensive fastening for fruit-jars and other covered vessels; and it consists in the construction and combination ofparts,hereinafter described and claimed.

In the annexed drawings, illustrating the invention, Figure l is a perspective view of a fruit-jar and cover provided with my improved fastening. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the upper part of the samein line with the bridge. Fig. 8 is a view of the bridge detached.

The jar 1 is of the usual construction, and has an ordinary hinged or pivoted bail, 2, attached to the neck in a Well-known manner, as shown. This bail is preferably composed of springsteel wire, so as to be somewhat elastic, and has an outwardly-curved bend, 3, formed midway between the ends. The jarcover 4 is preferably made of glass, and provided with a depending rim or lip, 5, that fits over the mouth of thejar. To the top of the cover is attached an elastic metallic bridge, 6, composed of a piece of spring-steel wire having an inwardly-curved bend, 7, located above the center of the cover. This bridge is formed with inwardly-bent knees 8 at its ends, from which extend downward-projecting pins 9, to engage openings 10, made in the cover for their reception. The metallic bridge 6 is arranged across the top of the cover, with the knees 8 resting thereon, and with the pins 9 cemented or otherwise secured in the holes 10, so as to hold the bridge firmly in place. In order to afford sufficient thickness of glass for forming the holes 10 of proper depth without perforating the cover and without adding unnecessarily to its weight, a transverse rib, 11, is formed on the inside of the cover. This rib is of such length as to extend nearly across the interior of the cover without coming in close cont-act with the neck the pressure while looking and when locked the cover from settling when thrown hot out of the mold in which it is made.

The cover is placed on the jar with the bridge 6 at right angles with the bail 2, and 6: the bail is then swung up and forced along over the bridgeuntil the bends 8 and 7 become engaged above the center of the cover. In this operation the bend 3 in the bail serves as a guide while forcing the bail into avertical position above the cover and across the bridge,and assoon as the bends3and7oomeinto engagement they serve as alock for the cover, and at the same time the bail and bridge each acts, by spring-pressure, to prevent displacement of the other. As usual, a rubber or other elastic gasket, 12, is placed around the neck of the jar beneath the edge of the cover.

The bridge 6, as shown, is so formed that does'not come on the points or pins 9, that enter the glass, but upon the knees 8, which, extending outward along the upper surface of the cover, distribute the pressure equally, and thereby avoid any liability of breaking the cover while securing it in place.

By making the bail and bridge of springsteel wire they are capable of exerting a uniform pressure of such character as to hold the cover firmly and securely in place at all points.

It is'obvious that both the bail and the bridge may be made of elastic wire, or the bail may be made of more rigid metal, the elasticity of the bridge serving to exert suffic cient spring-pressure to hold the parts in place when engaged.

Instead of attaching the elastic metallic bridge to the cover in the manner shown, it may be secured thereon in any convenient 5 way.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. The combination, with a jar having a wire bail, 2,.provided with a bend, 3, of a cover having a fixed elastic metallic bridge, [09

6, provided with a bend, 7, to interlock with I cover and adapted to engage the bail, substanbhe bail, and knees S, to distribute the pressure lially as described. 10

of the bail, substantially as described. I In testimony whereof I affix my signature in 2. The combination, with a jar having a presence oft wo witnesses.

wire bail, 2, provided with a bend, 3, of a XVILLIAM H. CLARKE. glass cover having holes 10, and an elastic Vibnesses: wire bridge, 6, having a bend, 7, knees 8, and FRANK IIIGBY, pins 9, whereby said bridge is attached to the U. C. YOUNG. 

